Apparatus for the production of gaseous fuel



F. T. NEWITT ET AL APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF GASEOUS FUEL Filed March 11, 19 24 June 4,

INVENT s New/ Patented June 4, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK T. NEWITT, OF PLATTEVILLE, AND SIMEON H. LA PLANT AND. LEWIS I. TURNER, OF SALID'A, COLORADO, ASSIGNOBS TO THEv L. T. N. MANUFACTURING & DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM, OF PLATTEVILLE, COLORADO, A COMMON-LAW TRUST AGREEMENT ORGANIZED UNDER THE LAWS OF COLORADO.

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF GASEOUS FUEL.

Application filed. March 11, 1924. Serial No. 698,420.

This invention relates to an apparatus for producing a gaseous fuel and its main object resides in providing a novel means of generating a fuel gas from a volatile hydrocarbonaceous liquid by diffusing the latter in vapor form in air contained in an enclosed space.

Our invention consists broadly in the means for introducing the hydrocarbonaceous liquid and the air into the mixing chamher under pressure whereby the liquid is 1n an atomized condition diffused throughout the air and vaporized by the frictional contact of its particles with the air and by the heat of compression.

A system of co-operative devices suitable for use in carrying out the present invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings in the several views of which like parts are similarly designated and in which Figure 1 represents thesystem in sectional elevation;

Figure 2, an enlarged'vertical sectional View of the mixing chamber of the system; and

Figures 3 and 4, vertical sectional views of a check valve and a pressure regulating valve suitable for use in the system.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 5 designates a closed container which in the practice of our process is supplied with air under pressure through the medium of a pump 6 or other suitable contrivance.

A pipe 7 connects an outlet of the tank with a mixing chamber 8 in which the gaseous fuel is generated and a pipe 9 conducts the fuel from the mixing chamber to a reservoir 10 from where it passes to the burners of a stove or other heating appliance or, if so desired, to the burner of a lamp by means of a conduit 12.

The end of the pipe 7 extends into the mixing chamber in direct opposition to a valve-regulated nozzle 13 at an end of a pipe 14 which connects with an outlet of a tank 15 representing the source of supply of gasolene or other volatile hydrocarbonaceous liquid.

In order to effect the forcible contact of the gasolene with the air, as it enters the mixing chamber, the gasolene in the tank 15 is subjected to pressure by any means suitable for the purpose such as the pump shown at 16 in the drawings. v

Pressure regulating valves '17 and 18 of the general type shown in Figure 3 are connected in the pipes 7 and 14 to control the supply of air and gasolene to the mixing chamber, check valves 19 and 20 such as that illustrated in Figure 3, are applied to prevent the return flow through the pipes 9 and 14, similar valves 21 and 22are placed in the pipes 23 and 24 connecting the pumps 6 and 16 with the tanks 5 and 15 and a hand valve 26 in the pipe controls the discharge of fuel from the reservoir.

A preferred arrangement of the ends of the pipes 7 and 14 in the mixing chamber has been illustrated in Figure 2, in which the nozzle of the pipe 14 through which the gasolene enters the chamber, is placed inside the end of the pipe 7 through which the air is supplied from the'reservoir 5.

A tapering valve 25 controlling the ejec tion of gasolene from'the nozzle, has a stein 26 which is slidably supported in 'a bearing 27 and which extends through a stufling box 28 of an elbow included in the conduit 7, for'the adjustment of the valve.

The discharge end of the air conduit pierces one wall of the mixing chamber and extends past the service outlet and terminates short of the opposite wall through which the nozzle extends. The nozzle which is of less diameter than the air pipe pro jects into the same and the valve which controls the discharge from the nozzle is provided with a baffle disk or member which partially constricts the air pipe and forms an intervening space between its periphery and the air pipe for the passage of air which passes the baflie plate or member in the form of an annular stream. The volatile liquid hydrocarbon which is sprayed against the baflle member is diffused by the same and commingles with the annular stream of air.

The valve shown in Figure 2 performs in a different manner the function of the valve of the nozzle, shown at 29 in Figure 1.

In the operation of the system, the gasolene introduced into the mixing chamber under pressure is in an atomized state diffused through the air which is likewise under pressure, and at the same time volatilized by the frictional contact of its particles and by the heat of compression.

The pressure regulating valves and the nozzle-valve co-operate to proportion the hydrocarbons and the air in the mixing chamber to the proper ratio for perfect combustion and the mixture discharged from the mixing chamber into the reservoir 10 flows through the service pipe 12 in quantities regulated by the valve 26, to the burners of a gas stove or other similar heating appliance, or it may be used as an illuminant by supplying it to the burner of a lamp.

\Vhile our apparatus as above described, is particularly adapted for the production of gas suitable for use as a fuel in heaters of stoves and other similar appliances, or as an illuminant in lamps, it will be evident that under favorable conditions it may also be employed as an explosion mixture for use in the operation of an internal combustion engine.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A system for the production of a gaseous fuel comprising a source of air under pressure, a source of hydrocarbonaceous liquid, a mixing chamber having a service outlet, an air pipe extending through one wall of the mixing chamber past the service outlet and terminating short of the opposite Wall, a nozzle extending through the said opposite wall into the mixingchamber and being of a diameter less than the air pipe and projecting into the latter and discharging in the air pipe in a direction counter to the direction of the air, a valve controlling the discharge of the nozzle and having a balile member arranged in the path of the discharge and being of a diameter less than the air pipe and partially constricting the latter and forming a space between its periphery and the air pipe for the passage of air which flows past the baffle member in the form of a hollow stream, said baffle member diffusing the said discharge from the nozzle and causing the same to commingle with the said stream of air, and conduits connecting the air pipe and the nozzle with the source of air under pressure and the source of hydrocarbonaceous liquid respectively.

2. A system for the production of a gaseous fuel including mixing means comprising a mixing chamber having a service outlet, an air pipe passing through one wall of the mixing chamber and extending past the service outlet and terminating short of the opposite wall, a nozzle passing through the said opposite wall and being of less diameter than the air pipe and discharging hydro-carbon in the air pipe and in a direction counter to the direction of the air.

In testimony whereof We have aflixed our signatures.

FRANK T. NEWITT. SIMEON H. LA PLANT. LEWVISI. TURNER. 

